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Meaning & use

clamorous

adjective·Advancedformalliterary

Last updated

UK/ˈklæmərəs/
US/ˈklæmərəs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableformalliterary

    Making a loud, confused noise, especially from many people shouting at once.

    Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a verb: a clamorous crowd; the crowd was clamorous.

    Patterns

    • a clamorous crowd
    • clamorous with something

    The clamorous crowd outside the stadium could be heard for miles.

    The market was clamorous with traders and shoppers.

    A clamorous group of children raced through the hall.

  2. adjectivebefore a nounformal

    Demanding something loudly and urgently, especially in protest or complaint.

    Grammar: Usually before words like demand, call or protest: clamorous demands for change.

    Patterns

    • clamorous demands
    • clamorous calls for something

    There were clamorous calls for the minister to resign.

    The company faced clamorous complaints from customers.

    Clamorous demands for reform filled the newspapers.

Word forms

comparativemore clamorous
superlativemost clamorous

Common combinations

clamorous crowd
A clamorous crowd gathered in the square.
clamorous demands
The clamorous demands of the public could not be ignored.
clamorous calls
There were clamorous calls for an inquiry.
clamorous protest
The clamorous protest lasted all night.
clamorous with
The harbor was clamorous with gulls.

Synonyms and how they differ

noisy
Noisy is the ordinary word for loud, while clamorous is more formal and suggests many voices demanding something.
vociferous
Vociferous stresses loud and forceful speech by a person or group, whereas clamorous can describe a place or a mass of sound.
boisterous
Boisterous suggests playful, rowdy energy, while clamorous often has an urgent, angry or demanding tone.
rowdy
Rowdy is informal and suggests rough, disorderly behavior, and not necessarily a demand.

Opposites

quietsilent

Word family

clamor noun
a loud, confused noise, or a loud public demand
clamor verb
to shout or demand something loudly
clamorously adverb
in a loud and demanding way

Commonly confused: clamorous or glamorous?

clamorous vs glamorous

Glamorous means exciting and attractive. It looks like clamorous but has no link to noise.

Practice

The clamorous crowd demanded an answer. What was the crowd like?

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